LOVE IS A GIFTED FLOWER | Ben X Luna ~ Fate: The Winx Saga

Chapter 3 - Morning In The Royal Garden

This morning, while singing, Ben had carefully got ready before meeting the Queen at her home: he had put on his best plaid shirt, matched with chinos and his long brown jacket. He had not forgotten to apply fragrance and to have a good breakfast before getting into his car.

Farah, who had woken up earlier than Saul, had seen him walking to the car park through the window of her suite. Her husband had told her about his service to the Queen, but also about his feelings for the woman, which didn't please the headmistress, who had had differences with her.

"I saw Ben this morning," she announced while they were eating breakfast after sleeping late. "He was all dressed up, looking like he was going on a date."

"He's been going on and on about Luna for two days now, I don't know what happened between them, but he seems completely smitten," he explained uncomfortably.

The fairy grabbed a muffin and bit into it.

"Because you think this woman is charming?"

Saul gazed at her mischievously:

"She has beautiful blue eyes," he teased her, dreamy.

Farah grunted and threw the bread wrapper in his face, scowling.

"But you're still the most attractive, darling," he continued, getting up before walking slowly towards her, smiling. "I love you so, Farah."

He placed a few sensual kisses on her neck, his hands resting under her breast, and she relaxed.

"I love you too, Saul, but I'm worried about Ben," she admitted, concerned. "Luna is not the woman for him, she has such a strong personality she'd eat him up, and she's nasty. Ben is my friend, I don't want her to hurt him."

"Farah, you say that because she hasn't been nice to you and doesn't share your teaching methods," her husband replied to reason with her, continuing his delicious caresses, his hand going lower and lower. "I agree that she has hurt you, that's why I don't like her, but I think she should be given a chance. Ben is not a boy anymore, he knows what he is doing, he is wise and lucid. If Luna isn't the woman for him, he'll realize that by himself. We can't bug him about that, he's so happy when he talks about her."

"I hope you're right," she murmured, standing up too. "I hope he'll experience our happiness."

Saul smiled and kissed his beloved wife again before taking her to the bedroom, where they had planned to spend the day.

***

At the royal castle, Luna had taken Ben to the corner of the garden that Stella had made her own, and the botany teacher was trying to imagine what flowers he could add to the garden.
There were roses, tulips, hydrangeas, peonies, and he quickly noticed that the colours ranged from white to red on one side and from white to purple on the other. Only blue was missing from this garden to complete the palette of shades.

"It will be an electric blue peony," he decided in a firm voice.

The Queen smiled at him, pleased that he was taking her request to heart.

"I'm sure it will be wonderful, Ben," she rejoiced. "Before tea I'd like to show you my garden."

She took him gently by the hand and their fingers intertwined. Although the moment was making him shiver with pleasure, Ben was uncomfortable.

"Is that okay with Andreas?" he asked skeptically.

She laughed, amused:

"Andreas is my best friend, nothing more."

"Are you sure ? He seems to be more than jealous, I saw that in the greenhouse," he replied, squeezing her hand.

"Yes, I know he didn't like me going to see you, but I made it clear that he shouldn't expect anything more than a friendship from me."

Ben knew the character of this guy, who would do anything to get what he wanted. Even to do harm to those around him.

"Luna, please be careful, he can be really violent," he implored her, holding her by the shoulders, concerned for her safety.

She nodded, blushing, not knowing what to think about it. Ben was worried about her, and she felt her heart leap with joy in her chest. He was definitely making an impression on her.

When they arrived at the fairy's garden, Ben was amazed at the beauty of all the exotic flowers. There were hibiscus, a frangipani tree, vanilla, and even some small blue flowers he didn't know about. The only plant missing was a passion flower, which he would not hesitate to offer her.

"Your flowers are beautiful," he complimented her, admiringly, before pointing the finger at the little flowers. "I don't know these blue flowers."

"They are Lanusia, they are very rare and only grow under certain conditions," she informed him with a big smile, proud and happy that he was interested in her and her plants. "They come from Eraklyon, my granddad brought them back a few decades ago."

At that moment, Ben was dying to hug her, to feel her heart beating, to feel the warmth of her skin, and to kiss her in that garden until he was breathless. She was speaking of her garden with such passion, she was his soul mate, he was more and more convinced. Yet something prevented him from placing his hands on her waist, or rather someone: Andreas.

As if the latter had foreseen what was going to happen, he did not hesitate to taunt them, walking down the garden path:

"I see I've come at just the right time!"

Ben clenched his fists and Luna turned around in surprise. Here he was again, ruining their moment!

"What are you doing here, Andreas?" she questioned, embarrassed. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I was in the area and thought I'd come over for tea," he replied, sounding like a playboy, approaching her.

The two men stared at each other, jealous. Professor Harvey suspected that he was lying to try to win the fairy's heart. He prayed that she would not choose him, fearing that he would make her unhappy.

"Shall we have tea?" she suggested in a happier tone.

The two men followed her inside, not taking their eyes off each other. The tension was at its highest.

"I advise you to give up, Harvey, Luna is mine," growled the Specialist in a low, threatening voice.

"Luna doesn't belong to you," he retorted, trying to keep his cool.

The fairy led them into the large, luxurious living room, but Ben refused to sit on the sofa. He had come for a tête-à-tête with his friend, not with Andreas, and preferred to see her later, just the two of them.

"I don't think I'll stay for tea," he told her, heading for the door.

Luna accompanied him down the corridor, clearly disagreeing with his decision.

"Ben, please stay," she insisted, taking his hand.

He wanted nothing more than to stay with her, but without Andreas. He stared at her for a long time, even more upset than last time: even with her jeans and turquoise blouse, she was still as gorgeous and elegant as ever. And her eyes were begging him to stay.

"I'm sorry, but I can't stay," he apologised sadly. "Let's chat together later and arrange something for the two of us, okay?"

She nodded and, once they were near the door, she placed a soft kiss on his cheek before he walked away towards his car.

"See you soon, Ben," she whispered, staring tenderly at him.

He waved at her and got into his car, heartbroken by the distance between them.